The Effect of Generals

**Wodeson** · 03-20-2007, 19:07

Is there any way to tone down the effect of Generals on the battlefield in respect to their star rating improving units' combat effectiveness?

**Re Berengario I** · 03-20-2007, 19:48

Nope, it's hardcoded. Making harder for them to acquire stars is possible though.

**alpaca** · 03-20-2007, 23:20

Moved to modding questions.

**Foz** · 03-21-2007, 04:15

Originally Posted by Wodeson

Is there any way to tone down the effect of Generals on the battlefield in respect to their star rating improving units' combat effectiveness?

Is it really overwhelming? Truth be told, I hardly notice anything different when using high command generals. Even when using no-name captains it's hard to tell a difference. The only way I know when I don't have a general fighting is that I have to do without the freaking awesome bodyguard unit...

**Wodeson** · 03-21-2007, 05:05

I don't honestly know for sure how big a difference it makes, but you've fought the Mongols right?

**EdwardL** · 03-27-2007, 19:30

well the impact of generals in MTW2 isnt as potent as it was in RTW. dont even ask about MTW1, those generals were beasts

**econ21** · 04-03-2007, 16:08

therother reported that his tests with RTW suggested no bonus from command stars to attack stats, contrary to what a statement here by CA staff, and EB works on that understanding. therother is very systematic and careful in his work, and his conclusion fits my casual observation too. There is a morale effect, of course. I assume M2TW is the same as RTW in this regard.

PS: anyone wants to test this, just mod the descr_strat.txt and fight out first turn battles with generals with different command stars. therother's done this and found no difference.

**therother** · 04-09-2007, 00:53

Appreciate the confidence, but I think I'd place more weight on your casual observations TBH. I was not really particularly thorough with my testing on this occasion: battle map mechanics aren't really my thing.

Anyhow, if I remember the original post by Jerome corerctly, he did hint that it wasn't quite so simple as 1 point to attack per command star but I never got round to robustly testing it. For example, one possible theory is that the bonus is 1 point per command star subject to a maximum of 50% of the original attack stat. This would mean that peasants (the unit I used) would get no attack bonus from a 10 star general, whereas a decent unit would get a fair bonus and an elite unit would get the full bonus. I think that would be a good way of handling it, as it would neatly remove the somewhat unrealistic situation of a 10 star general making a bunch of disorganised rabble into a reasonably effective force, whilst still allowing a good general to have an effect on better trained troops. I don't think that is how it worked though, but I never did the tests to rule it out.

As an aside, the morale bonus definitely worked as advertised in RTW.

Edit: Jerome's explanation and my observations.